Ruto defends health reforms, cites 27 million Kenyans registered under new coverage
Ruto reported that 27 million Kenyans have already registered under the new health coverage programme, a level he said shows the commitment to ensure no one is left behind.
President William Ruto used his State of the Nation Address on Thursday to defend ongoing health reforms, saying the country is building a system that treats all people with fairness and dignity.
He said the plan is driven by a simple belief that “every Kenyan, wherever they live and whatever their means, deserves equal care.”
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Speaking on Thursday at the joint sitting of Parliament, Ruto reported that 27 million Kenyans have already registered under the new health coverage programme, a level he said shows the commitment to ensure no one is left behind.
He added that over 10,000 facilities have joined the new system, giving people more places to seek care.
Ruto reminded Parliament that meaningful health care begins within communities, not only at hospitals.
Going further, the President noted that the decision to deploy 107,000 community health promoters across all counties was meant to strengthen early detection and link households to essential services.
He said the impact of this team has been clear, with 8.9 million household visits, 9.9 million diabetes screenings leading to 134,000 cases identified, and 6.5 million hypertension screenings that uncovered 305,000 cases.
“Millions of lives have been touched and thousands saved,” Ruto said.
Calling the community health promoters the backbone of the new health system, he said.
“Indeed, behind these numbers stand the community health promoters, quiet, devoted, tireless heroes of this new era. Today, we honour them,” Ruto added.
The President also highlighted support for people who cannot afford health insurance, saying the government is now paying premiums for 2.3 million vulnerable Kenyans.
This includes widows, orphans, the elderly and those without income. “The cynics scoffed, as usual,” he said, recalling earlier criticism of the plan.
The President commended the legislators who have stepped in to help families secure coverage, describing the gesture as a shared duty to protect the most vulnerable.
Ruto then outlined new steps to modernise equipment in public hospitals.
He said the updated plan uses a fee-for-service method where private partners install and maintain machines, while hospitals only pay when they use them, replacing the previous model that required counties to shoulder heavy payments upfront.
In addition, Ruto said reforms at KEMSA have also reduced drug shortages, with availability rising from 48 per cent to 68 per cent, and expected to reach 90 per cent this year and 100 per cent by March.
He said this shift shows that the promise to rebuild health services is finally being realised.
The President linked the reforms to the national values of fairness and dignity, saying they reflect what is written in the Constitution.
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